As they left the main hall, cool breeze embraced them outside. Theresa glanced at her wristwatch and realized it was late already. She turned and faced Chukwuma.
"Thanks for saving me tonight"

Chukwuma chuckled "You don't have to thank me"

Theresa fixed an intense gaze on him.
"You must have a lot of questions for me. I'm so ashamed of myself right now" Theresa cast her gaze downward.

Chukwuma drew close to her and lifted her jaw upwards, so she can meet his gaze.
"You don't have to be ashamed. I understand why you did what you did"

Theresa held a puzzled look on her face, as she stared at him.
"I don't understand. Why are you not mad at me? I lied to you!"

"I know" Chukwuma replied.

"You know?! Know what Chukwuma?!"

"I knew you were hiding something. I knew it had something to do with your marriage. Even a blind man could see it. It showed in your whole demeanor,even though you pretended to be happy. But I could tell when someone just came out from a messy divorce. But who was I to interfere, right? I just had to wait for you to trust me enough to open up"

"Okay, now you know everything" Theresa  began calmly "Why are you still here?"

"Huh?" Chukwuma's brows furrowed in confusion. "I kinda feel like you're breaking up with me,when we haven't even started anything"
He chuckled.

"This is not amusing Chukwuma. You should run for the hills. I'm a divorced woman!" Theresa raised her voice, trying to open his eyes to see the bitter truth. "You shouldn't be seen with me!"

Chukwuma noticed her eyes glistening like a wet windowpane.
"So you're like a plague now? You talk as if it's your fault that your husband left you"

"You don't even know the whole story! Why do you think it's his fault not mine?!"

"It was clear to me Theresa! I'm not a fool! Clearly he cheated on you!"
Chukwuma raised his voice too.

"And how do you know that I didn't drive him to do just that?!"

Chukwuma scratched his head.
"Theresa........ A good man would never cheat on his wife, regardless of anything. A principled man would never do that"

Theresa was speechless. Trying to look for something to say to chase him out of her life for good.
"But still..... It has been done. I'm the one suffering the consequences now. I'm the one being ridiculed and mocked."

"Theresa......" He placed a hand on her shoulder  trying to dissuade her fears. "You need to calm down. You're not thinking straight."

Theresa walked five steps backward,trying to create some distance between them.
"I am thinking straight. You are a young virile man that needs a woman that's not tainted with a bad reputation. I know you have a crush on me Chukwuma"

"More than a crush" He smiled.

Theresa's tears finally appeared, trailing down her cheeks.
"That's the more reason why you should stay away! I'm all wrong for you!"

Chukwuma had this sad look on his face, as he spoke, his voice was laced with solemnity and hurt.
"This is the 21st century Theresa. All these things are done away. You shouldn't be scared of anything. You're not an outcast. No one will hurt you. You're being paranoid over nothing." He moved closer, gripping her hands, trying to assure her.

"I care about you. That's why I'm doing this. You have your life to live, other women to meet. I'm sorry but I have to go" Theresa yanked her hands away and ran towards her car, wiping her tears away as she drove out of the driveway.

*          *           *            *           *             *  

            It was on a clear bright morning and Eliza was in high spirit.
As she stepped out of the house, the sun warmed her and she welcomed it. She could hear the sweet chirping of birds and she felt like chirping with them.

Her mom was very happy when she heard the news.

Eliza hummed as she greeted her neighbors plus the landlord's son Frank, who was about her age. She grimaced as she thought of the childish and foolish crush she had on him back then.

As she entered the school surroundings, she noticed how quiet and deserted everywhere was. She realized it was Monday, and they were supposed to have morning devotion in the auditorium. Mondays and Fridays were the days they had devotions in the auditorium. But the others days, their devotions were spent outside and in front of the Principal's office.

The auditorium has always been noisy because of how chatty the students were. It was so spacious that it contained all the students.

The school has never had a huge population so everyone was comfortable.

The auditorium was adorned with chandeliers and a large performing stage for school plays and other performances.

The juniors had their seats while the seniors sat separately. All, facing the stage.

As she made her appearance into the auditorium, the once noisy auditorium became quiet as a graveyard as all heads turned in her direction. Eliza became self conscious again. But this case was different because their stares weren't scornful but apologetic. The air around her wasn't stiff but welcoming.

As she made her way towards the senior section, she spotted Chioma and her friends sitting in the front row. When they glanced at her, Chioma smiled at her and beckoned her to come sit with them.

Eliza was confused. She felt like she wasn't the one the almighty Chioma was referring to. Maybe there was another Eliza in the school. She pretended to walk past them but Chioma called her again. That was when she knew it was actually her.

As she walked over to them, they all shifted to make space for her to sit.
Chioma spoke first.

"Hi"

"Hi" Eliza responded with hesitation.

"How are you feeling today?" Chioma asked her.

"Um..... I don't know" Eliza slowly responded, still confused by her question.

"What do you mean you don't know? Aren't you happy? Relieved? Your name has been cleared girl!"
Chioma exclaimed beaming. "No more bullies on social media"

Eliza's brows furrowed in confusion.
"Wait, I thought you said your parents took your phone because you were spending too much time on it? Then how come......"

"Uh....are they going to seize it forever?"Chioma said rolling her eyes." Of course they gave it back to me."

"Those bullies are so awful. Imagine what they were saying about you on the internet" Ebube said.

Eliza tightened her jaw as she fought back the anger that was slowly rising to the surface.
"I'd prefer it if we don't rehash the past."

"Of course. It's all history." Chioma chirped.

Eliza couldn't even look at them. She couldn't bring herself to smile back at them. Because she knew that they weren't as close as before.

Eliza felt Amaka staring at her weirdly.
"You don't look happy"

Eliza didn't respond to her.

"Okay, I know why you have that look on your face. We..." Chioma demonstrated "are sorry for doubting you"

"Yeah, it was all a misunderstanding" Amaka chimed in.

You call that a misunderstanding?! You call leaving me out in the cold a misunderstanding?!
Eliza thought as she glared at them intently for five minutes before plastering a smile on her face.
"No, it's okay. It's all in the past"

"Perfect" Chioma beamed as she clapped her hands together. "All is forgiven"

Theresa heard deep and loud laughters coming from the back. As she turned, she could see a group of boys who sat in the same row, busily chattering. She recognized them as the school's athletes. They all moved in the same circle.

Her heart stopped when she caught Isaac Eze staring at her. He had this intense and sad longing on his face as he stared at her. A smile tugged up in the corner of her mouth but she didn't expect his reaction because he slowly turned away from her. Eliza's smile immediately disappeared.

Eliza missed Isaac. She missed his smile, his encouraging words. He was his strong support system when her friends who was supposed to take up that role weren't.

She felt this pang of guilt and remorse all wrapped up into one as she remembered how she snapped at him. He never deserved how she treated him. She vowed that she would make amends even if it was the last thing she would ever do.

She ignored the chattering of the girls sitting beside her as she tuned them off and focused on the stage, waiting patiently for the principal and the staff to make their appearance.

When Principal Justice, the vice principal, Mr Thomas and some of the staff entered the stage. Everywhere became still, as they all stood up in acknowledgement of the principal.

As everywhere settled down, the principal walked towards the podium and started her speech.

"I am highly disappointed in you! All of you!"

The students gasped in surprise.

I'm here again guys.

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